Hard disk drive having a motor assembly with a rotational balancing spring pin

Abstract

A hard disk drive includes at least one magnetic disk and a motor assembly. The motor assembly is configured to rotatably support the magnetic disk(s) and circumferentially rotate the magnetic disk(s) about an axis of rotation during operations of the hard disk drive. The motor assembly includes at least one rotational balancing spring pin. Each rotational balancing spring pin is configured to reduce a rotating unbalance of the motor assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hard disk drive comprising:
 at least one magnetic disk; and   a motor assembly configured to rotatably support the at least one magnetic disk and circumferentially rotate the at least one magnetic disk about an axis of rotation during operations of the hard disk drive,   the motor assembly comprising a mass configured to reduce a rotating unbalance of the motor assembly, the mass consisting of a hollow rotational balancing spring pin,   wherein the hollow rotational balancing spring pin comprises a rigid material that is formed into a mechanically compressible profile,   wherein the mechanically compressible profile comprises a substantially hollow cylindrical profile,   wherein the substantially hollow cylindrical profile terminates at an axially oriented gap that extends through an axial dimension of the rotational balancing spring pin,   wherein the mechanically compressible profile extends from each of two edges of the axially oriented gap into the substantially hollow cylindrical profile to form two substantially planar parallel segments that are each substantially parallel to an axis of the substantially hollow cylindrical profile.   
     
     
         2 . The hard disk drive of  claim 1 , wherein the rigid material is a metal. 
     
     
         3 . The hard disk drive of  claim 2 , wherein the metal is stainless steel. 
     
     
         4 . The hard disk drive of  claim 1 , wherein the hollow rotational balancing spring pin comprises a sheet comprising the rigid material. 
     
     
         5 . The hard disk drive of  claim 4 , wherein the sheet has a thickness of about 0.02 millimeters to about 0.5 millimeters. 
     
     
         6 . A hard disk drive comprising:
 at least one magnetic disk; and   a motor assembly configured to rotatably support the at least one magnetic disk and circumferentially rotate the at least one magnetic disk about an axis of rotation during operations of the hard disk drive, the motor assembly comprising:
 a mass configured to reduce a rotating unbalance of the motor assembly, the mass consisting of a hollow rotational balancing spring pin, and 
 a motor hub configured to support each of the at least one magnetic disk, 
   wherein each of the at least one magnetic disk is mounted on the motor hub such that an annular volume of each of the at least one magnetic disk encircles an axially oriented portion of the motor hub,   wherein the motor hub comprises an opening in the axially oriented portion of the motor hub,   wherein each of the hollow rotational balancing spring pin is disposed in the opening.   
     
     
         7 . The hard disk drive of  claim 6 ,
 wherein the motor hub comprises a flange that extends radially outward from a lower portion of the motor hub, and   wherein the flange abuts and supports a magnetic disk of the at least one magnetic disk.   
     
     
         8 . The hard disk drive of  claim 7 ,
 wherein the magnetic disk is a first magnetic disk of the at least one magnetic disk,   wherein additional magnetic disks of the at least one magnetic disk are provided in a stacked orientation with the first magnetic disk,   wherein the stacked orientation is axially oriented, substantially parallel to and substantially coincident with the axis of rotation.   
     
     
         9 . The hard disk drive of  claim 8 , wherein adjacent magnetic disks provided in the stacked orientation are separated by a spacer, each spacer having an annular shape that encircles the axially oriented portion of the motor hub. 
     
     
         10 . The hard disk drive of  claim 6 , wherein the motor assembly further comprises:
 a shaft that is axially oriented substantially parallel to and substantially centered and coincident with the axis of rotation; and   a radial bearing configured to support circumferential rotation of the motor hub and each of the at least one magnetic disk about the shaft,   wherein the radial bearing encircles a portion of the shaft.   
     
     
         11 . The hard disk drive of  claim 10 , wherein the radial bearing is housed in a sleeve that is disposed radially between the motor hub and the shaft. 
     
     
         12 . The hard disk drive of  claim 11 , wherein an inner surface of the motor hub faces an outer surface of the sleeve. 
     
     
         13 . The hard disk drive of  claim 6 , wherein the motor assembly further comprises a motor assembly base that is configured to couple the motor assembly to a base of an enclosure of the hard disk drive. 
     
     
         14 . The hard disk drive of  claim 6 ,
 wherein the motor assembly further comprises a clamp that is coupled to the motor hub and is configured to abut and secure a top magnetic disk of the at least one magnetic disk to the motor assembly,   wherein the clamp comprises a clamp opening aligned with the opening of the motor hub.   
     
     
         15 . The hard disk drive of  claim 14 ,
 wherein the motor assembly further comprises a balancing ring configured to reduce a rotating unbalance of the motor assembly, the balancing ring having a substantially annular profile, and   wherein the balancing ring is fit inside a substantially circumferential channel along an outer edge of the clamp.   
     
     
         16 . A method of making a hard disk drive, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a motor assembly configured to rotatably support at least one magnetic disk and circumferentially rotate the at least one magnetic disk about an axis of rotation during operations of the hard disk drive, the motor assembly comprising an opening;   mounting each of the at least one magnetic disk on the motor assembly such that an annular volume of each of the at least one magnetic disk encircles an axially oriented portion of the motor assembly; and   reduce a rotating unbalance of the motor assembly by inserting a mass into the opening of the motor assembly, the mass consisting of a hollow rotational balancing spring pin.